Blog post # 7 Chicano Men and Masculinity.

    According Zinn author "Chicano Men and Masculinity", Chicano male have Mexican heritage,"....it's lie in the historical conquest of  Mexico by Spain involving the exploitation of Indian woman by Spanish men this producing the hybrid Mexican people"(25). In Chicano culture, all men are called  macho male; they are "demands, ...respect and obedience not only from the wife but from the children as well"(Zinn 24). Chicano men are dominant, they think that they have power over their families. Chicano  children learned from the young age, that man have to have certain  stereotypes of masculinity, like their fathers: be aggressive and dominant.Chicano male have to make all decision in the house while woman expected to clean, cook take care of the house and children. Man have a final word in the family, and he expects to be respected by other family members. " The father is the unquestioned patriarch - the family provider, protector and judge. His word is low and demands strict obedience ( Zinn24). Chicano father displays those macho qualities to their sons, he enjoys patriarchal way of life, and expects from his son to retain the same power when  they grow up. As dominance and physical abuse can be seen normal in Chicano families, so that idea of macho men  pass from generation to generation. The young males start acting out in a way their father are; trying to be machismo too. Chicano men to prove their manhood are: abusive, controlling, excessive drinkers, fighters. Also they have negative stereotypes like: violence, laziness and criminality. They known  as aggressive type and  gangs members. They also establish they own language, a style of dressing and behavior. They can't adapt to the modern society.


                                                           Works Cited

Zinn, Maxine Baca." Chicano Men and Masculinity" Men's Life 5th ed. Ed.Michael Kimmel
        and Michael Messner. New York: Allyn & Bacon, 2001. 24-32. Print.